1999 Adult Scoliosis Evaluation and Treatment

Description: Scoliosis is defined as a frontal plain curvature of the spine greater than 10° with structural rotation at the apical segment. The incidence of adult scoliosis is estimated to be between 4% to 8%. Scoliosis in adults can be the consequence of a process that began before skeletal maturity (adolescent idiopathic scoliosis) or the scoliosis can arise, "de novo", in adult life secondary to osteoporosis, osteomalacia or latrogenic causes such as multilevel decompression for spinal stenosis and degenerative changes. This article will focus primarily on the resulting spinal deformity that began to develop before skeletal maturity. However, the principles apply to other forms of adult scoliosis. Treatment philosophies (goals) in adult scoliosis differ markedly from scoliosis in the skeletally immature group. When evaluating and treating scoliosis in the adolescent population, the emphasis is on preventing the complications that occur from scoliosis in adult life. Whereas, in adult scoliosis, since the scoliosis deformity has already occurred, treatment is directed at managing rather than preventing the complications of scoliosis.
Sunday U. Ero, M.D. and Peter Blessey, M.D. Jacksonville Medicine / June, 1999